Virtual Reality Wars – The future of the web

Who hasn’t heard of virtual reality and the promise of a more immersive experience? But will VR live to its hype or will it fade away and fall into oblivion?

Although virtual reality has existed for many years now (first references dating back to the 50s), it’s only in recent years they have regained popularity due to advancement in hardware and software to the point where we stand now.

With the release of wide range handheld VR kits, to full fledged VR headsets and with the release of PlayStation VR, more and more third parties will also make the jump to VR to get a piece of the pie; making it more affordable to everyone in the process. But there is a new kid in school, and it’s starting to become popular with the VR fans. I’m talking about mixed reality and augmented reality that mix your virtual reality with the real world.

A good example of an augmented reality app is Pokémon Go, that last summer made the dream of “catch ’em all” possible to millions around the world.

So, what does all of this means to the web?

Microsoft is set to release their creators update early this year and with it there will be a wave of third party VR headsets capable of mixed reality for an affordable price. They’ll also be releasing a major update to Windows Edge Browser to add 3D content across all devices running the OS.

Imagine you could visually see that brand-new sofa you wanted in your room with just a few clicks, or that dress/suit you’ve seen on a website right in front of you and even on an avatar that looks just like you!

Well, maybe this last bit is still in over the horizon but it will be a possibility sooner that what we expect and it’ll be just a matter of time before other browsers also make the jump to 3D, with most major browsers already working on this.

How will it succeed?

How successful this technology will be will depend on many factors, such as: the number of users, how many clients will be willing to spend the extra ‘pennies’ in creating an online virtual reality shop and other 3D applications, and how receptive developers will be towards this technology.

As a developer, I can say I’m looking forward to giving the web a whole new dimension, what about you? Are you looking forward to seeing new and creative ideas that will be developed using this tech or do you think it’s just a phase that’ll slowly drift away yet again?

To an amazing future here and now, in case you are a bit bored here are some VR fails just for you!

Words by Mário Duarte

Digital Developer

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